Fall of the Uchiha
by Zyraen
Summary: An episode after Tsunade becomes Hokage, when Team 7 is still together, where they accompany a Jounin to find a Missing Ninja who might have unwittingly played a part in bringing the Uchiha Clan to an end.
1. The Hunter and The Prey

Slight Edit : Read the Fic through and removed some grammatical errors etc ;; Sorry about the inconvenience.

Meantime, a Disclaimer : Naruto and characters from the series are not my property.

This Naruto Fanfic is based on a time after Tsunade became Hokage, and before Sasuke's defection to the Sound Village. In anime timeline, it would occur some time before the filler arc about the race in Tea Country involving Morino Idate. It deals with the background and reasons behind Itachi's seemingly indepen d ant decision to destroy his clan, through the introduction of characters and the use of "flash-backs", in a way that I hope, is suitably in line with the "style" of the current Naruto series :) There'll also of course, be the ninja-fights that so characte rise the Naruto series.

Note that my knowledge is based almost exclusively on the Anime series ;; plus some notes on the Manga that I've picked up here and there.

SPOILER Warning : for those to whom "Kakashi Gaiden" means nothing, please do not read further as spoilers WILL come up.

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FALL OF THE UCHIHA

Chapter 1 : The Hunter and The Prey

"She sure is making us wait a while, huh?" Naruto asked, sitting listlessly with his back against against the wall. "This mission had better be something interesting to keep us waiting this long."

"I don't know, but I hope it will be something we can handle." Sakura noted, as they waited outside the office. "Kakashi-sensei won't be with us again. We haven't seen much of him since Tsunade-sama became Hokage."

"Don't worry, Sakura, we can handle ourselves." Naruto grinned. "Right, Sasuke?"

There was no reply from the dark haired boy, who simply looked at the door, then at the clock, and finally, to the wall opposite him, his face expressionless.

Nor mally Naruto would be pissed off with Sasuke ignoring him, but not so, this time. Remembering the fight not so long ago, when Itachi beat Sasuke up before using the Mangekyo Sharingan on him, he just hoped that Sasuke wasn't thinking about his brother. He seemed different, somehow, after his discharge from the hospital.

"Come in," they heard Tsunade's voice call from behind the door.

"Finally!" The yellow-haired Genin grinned as he moved to push open the door and entered in, followed by Sakura and Sasuke.

"So, this is Kakashi's Team 7."

Sasuke's eyes shot to the corner of the room, to see the source of the voice, a female's voice, from a corner of the room, only to see a female ninja leaning in the corner, her arms folded before her, standing about 170 cm. She had long dark green hair, parted just to left of the centre, the right segment curling over one side of her face, and obscuring her features as she didn't seem to be looking at them. Interestingly, despite wearing the uniform of a Jounin, in one o f her hands she held an ANBU mask, with the mark of Konoha in the middle of its forehead.

"Hey, old lady Tsunade, who is this? I haven't seen her before... is she a new Jounin?"

"No, she isn't." Tsunade frowned slightly, hating being called old lady, but Naruto didn't ever seem to pay attention. "She's from the Matori clan of Konoha, and they were not here in the village during the Orochimaru's attack."

"The Matori clan?" Naruto scratched his head. "I've never heard of that clan before."

"I think I may have heard of them." Sakura ventured. "They were a clan previously from country of Lightning, but when they were persecuted they moved to the country of Fire about the time of the Second Hokage. They used to reside here, in Konoha, but then they left agai n for some reason." Her eyes went to the strange Jounin uncertainly. "But then... where did they go?"

"Not bad, for a Genin." The woman in the corner looked up, her emerald green eyes glittering slightly as she looked at them, watching them from under her Konoha headband. "Kakashi's reputation is well-deserved after all."

Tsunade smiled as well - that girl never ceased to impress her with her knowledge. "Yes, Sakura, you are right. Since their departure, the Matori clan has a base of their own within this country, relatively far from the Village of Konoha, although most of their skilled members are based in other countries. Many of their ninjas provide training for and serve within the ANBU squads. It is not general knowledge, but most of the hunter-nins o f Konoha are also of the Matori clan."

That made sense, Sakura thought. They filled a gap in Konoha... the Uchiha clan being in charge of the police, the Hyuuga clan as the nobility, and the Matori clan serving as the ANBU and the hunters, a clan separate from all the rest, so they would have no qualms about exterminating those from their own village, and have no problems training others to become like themselves, to be ANBU.

Sasuke frowned slightly as he looked at the Jounin, unassuming, distinctly relaxe d and even a little uninterested, a little Kakashi, yet unlike the Copy Ninja, she somehow seeming dangerous even before Tsunade introduced her formally. There was a cold glint to that eye... so, this was a Jounin, and a hunter-nin, from their own village . She must be strong, very strong...

But not as strong as Itachi...

Sasuke's gaze hardened imperceptibly, as he returned his gaze to Tsunade. "So, what has she to do with our mission?"

The woman's lips curled slightly into to a slight smile of contempt. "I think what you should be asking is, what do you have to do with my mission." The emerald eyes turned to glare at Tsunade. "You know very well that babysitting these kids will only have adverse effects on the success of this mission."

I don't like this woman, Naruto thought.

Tsunade looked pointedly at the Jounin. "I've told you already, I want him back alive, not dead. Since the war with Orochimaru and the Sand we have been having a manpower crisis, and if anyone can persuade him to come back, it'll b e these." Remembering how Naruto got her to return... and she had high hopes that Sasuke might be able to make a difference as well. "That's why you're taking them along."

The Jounin shrugged. "If you say so. I will take good care of them, but if they mess up on their own, they could well get killed." Her expression became more serious. "It took me a very long time to track this one down."

"He's not even an A-class for certain." Tsunade returned smoothly. "I understand you have your own personal reasons wanting to eliminate him, but if you aren't agreeable on Team 7 accompanying you, I would be perfectly justified in sending a standard ANBU squad after him. Or none at all, since he is not even a threat to this village. A sub-A-class missing ninja certain ly does not warrant tying up one of my Jounins for several days, and even much more so while we're in a crisis."

"You've made your point," the unknown Jounin returned, unruffled.

"What's this all about?" Naruto looked from one woman to the other. "Who are we looking for, and why?"

"Your target is a Chuunin level missing ninja, who left the village of Konoha about 7 years ago. As you know, we usually eliminate missing ninja, but this one, I hope you can get to rejoin us. If nothing else, his skills should prove invaluable to Konoha."

"He sounds like more than just an ordinary Chuunin, if you're going to this much trouble to get him to join us back." Sasuke commented drily. "And for a Jounin like her to want to remove him, he should be strong."

"He should be, but we do not know for certain yet." The Jounin commented. "But I've kept an eye out for him for almost 6 years since I became a hunter-nin, and never once have I caught a trace of him."

Sakura blinked. She did not know how skilled hunter-nin were, but for this one to have evaded one for so long... but what was a Jounin-level hunter-nin doing looking out for a mere Chuunin? Was he that dangerous?

"His name might interest at least one of you." The woman continued, and Tsunade didn't seem to mind her. "He now goes under the name of Hayuchi Kova, but that is not the real name of his clan."

Hayuchi? Sasuke blinked slightly... it rang a bell, yet it didn't. And Kova... was the name familiar? An odd tingle stole up his spine.

There was a period of silence , then Tsunade continued. "His real name is Uchiha Kova. He grew up with mainly a few close friends in his clan. He left, I understand, due to some disagreements with a Jounin about how he was managing his close friends, who were in the Jounin's team."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. Another surviving Uchiha? What sort of cowardly, treacherous, desperate man would change his clan name even if he left the village?

Unless he hated his clan.

"It doesn't matter why he left, anyway." The Jounin commented. "It's over and done with. No amount of sentimentality can undo the damage that has since been. In fact, I can see no other reason why he'd let himself be found this close to Konoha, other than that he wants to be finished off as well."

"Or he wants to return." Tsunade sounded displeased by the way the Jounin was viewing things.

"We'll see about that, won't we?" The Jounin rose and moved towards the door, her back turned to Team 7 and the Hokage.

Tsunade ground her teeth in irritation, as the door opened and closed behind the Jounin, before speaking in low tones. "Sasuke, go talk to her."

"Wha...!?" Naruto and Sakura looked at her in surprise, and Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

"I don't like meeting new people." His tone was curt. "She didn't even bother to tell us her name."

"Her name is Matori Kiyone. As for you, you're good at impressing them. Perhaps she'll think that your team is less of a burden if you talk to her." Tsunade smiled slightly. "Pick a fight with her if you like. She is strong. If you impress her, she might even help make you stronger."

Sasuke looked over his shoulder at the door, then back at the Fifth Hokage, before, without saying another word, he'd turn away and head out the door.

"Hey, old lady Tsunade!" Naruto made a face and folded his arms, sulkily. "Don't I get to impress her as well?"

"I'm sure you'll manage during the mission, but I have something more important to tell you." She rolled her eyes a little. "Something I would prefer that Sasuke not know about."

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Sasuke closed the door behind him as he looked at the Jounin. "You there, the one who is not happy about bringing us along."

Kiyone turned her head slightly to look at him, as she leaned against the wall. "So it is the last of Uchihas. What do you want, boy?" Emerald eyes shone slightly with a steely tinge, as she watched him draw closer, to stand before her.

"Why do you want him dead?" The boy asked quietly. "Has he done something against your clan?"

"My business with him is none of your concern. Just know that if you intend to bring him back to help revive your clan, you had better try hard. Because if he refuses, I will finish him."

"He can help revive my clan and kill my brother, but he cannot do that if you kill him."

"If he had an interest in your clan he would not have left in the first place. He didn't come back to pay respects when your clan was destroyed. I should know, I was looking out for him."

Sasuke frowned, his teeth grinding slightly as he glared at the Jounin. She was not young, but she was not old either. Maybe three or four years older than his brother, perhaps around Iruka's age, yet she was a Jounin and a hunter-nin.

"Why did you bother with him? Did you not care to track down my brother?"

Kiyone shrugged slightly. "I might have fancied myself a match for your brother back then, but even I do not think I could have done what he did. He was only a little older than you are when he did it, you know." So much for Tsunade telling me not to bring up Itachi. The boy brought him up hims elf. Still, it was only to be expected.

The boy bowed his head slightly, and said nothing in response, except for the gnashing of his teeth.

You are weak. Why are you weak?

Itachi's voice sounded in his head, the words he had heard from his brother about a month ago, and evoking the same response as it had when he had met him.

The difference between us has not changed...

"I have improved since, but your brother probably has as well. You should know best, after all, you did encounter him just last month." She smirked slightly. "I trust he has been well?"

The dark-haired boy's chin shot up, as he stared at her in anger.. his eyes turning red as the Sharingan manifested itself in his eyes.

Kiyone grinned as she looked at him. "I was jealous of him, you know."

Sasuke started. "What?"

"Itachi was talented, very talented. My father had high hopes for him, especially in teaching him ANBU material. But that could only happen if he qualified to join ANBU." She smiled softly. "Itachi did not disappoint."

A soft breath escaped the boy's lips, then he asked coldly. "Who was your father to my brother? I have never heard mention of him."

"He was his sensei, both before he joined ANBU, and after he joined ANBU."

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"Uh huh..." Naruto still didn't look very happy that Sasuke had been sent to impress the Jounin.

"What is it?" Sakura asked.

"This Kova... before he left, he had a few close friends in his clan. At least one of them you may have heard of - Itachi."

Naruto's eyes widened. "You want us to try to make one of that rotten egg's friends join us back here in Konoha!?"

"Naruto, be quiet!" Sakura hushed him with an urgent look. "We can't let Sasuke hear about this."

Tsunade smiled slightly, then leaned forward on the desk, elbows on the table surface and hands clasped together before her face. "Yes and no. He knew Itachi, when Itachi was still a very small boy, not even a ninja. It would be many years later that he became unhappy with the way Itachi's sensei was training him and another close friend of his, an Uchiha called Shisui." She paused a little for effect. "Their sensei was a Jounin called Matori Kisane. Or more relevantly, Kiyone's father."

"I see." Sakura pursed her lips. "So this... Kova, was unhappy with that Jounin's father?" She looked at the door that Kiyone and Sasuke had left through.

"Correct. More to the point, the Third believed that it was a combination of influences from Kova and Kisane that led to the destruction of the Uchiha Clan at Itachi's hands." Tsunade's loo k turned serious. "That's why if Sasuke hears of this, he might want to kill the man that you are hunting, rather than try to bring him back."

"But wait, he's just a Chuunin, why would you want to send Kiyone along with us? We are more than a match for most ninjas, don't you know?" Naruto asked curiously.

"Yes, he was just a Chuunin before he left, and one who taught at the Academy. I understand that he spent a lot of his time training and being involved in practice spars, especially with members from oth er clans. It wasn't a concern, because he didn't seem to possess the Sharingan."

"Oh." Sakura blinked. "You mean..."

"Yes. Perhaps the Third was a little careless back then, but Shisui and Itachi, his two close friends who were younger than him, had both already mastered the Sharingan by then. So there's no reason for him not to have it during that period, even though to most of his clan, he was mediocre and ill-talented for his age. Most of the stronger members of the Uchiha clan joined the Police back t hen, rather than the Academy, and the very gifted ones like Itachi went to ANBU. It was a move that Kova was apparently unhappy with." She sighed softly, before looking serious again. "Before he left, he challenged Kisane to a fight. It could well have be en Kakashi that he challenged, except that Kakashi wasn't in the village then."

"He knows Kakashi-sensei? Why does he hate him?" Naruto exclaimed. "This guy sounds troublesome, why do we want to bring him back?"

"His older brother was Uchiha Obito, Kakas hi's team-mate, and he was killed during a mission with him. The Third believes that Kova held a grudge against Kakashi, believing that it was Kakashi's fault that his brother was killed, and hated him more because his brother gave Kakashi something that should never be given, and certainly not to the person who presumably caused his death."

Both the Genins' eyes widened. The Sharingan...

"Yes, Copy Ninja Kakashi... perhaps he would have a totally different name and reputation if not for Obito's gift. A gift Obito's brother begrudged." She sighed again. "In any case, Kova challenged Kisane, a Jounin more than twice his age, to a duel. He was beaten, but only after a long hard fight... and he tried to kill him more than once in that fight. More disturbin g ly, it is apparent from that fight that Kova has the use of the Sharingan. Kisane did not himself see it, as the boy somehow keeps it hidden, but in that battle he used techniques from many other clans of Konoha, and sand, earth, lightning element techniq ues from other villages. Back then, he probably knew even more Konoha techniques than even Kakashi, though he wasn't as adept in using them."

"Oh my.." Sakura raised her hand to her lips.

A warning glint came into Tsunade's eyes. "He is only a Chuunin, technically, but it's been 7 years since he left us, and he must have been to even more countries all around the area. This is a man who copied many techniques from his own village in secret, who managed to hide that he had use of his Sharingan. This is a man who rejected his own clan and changed his own name - unlike other members of the Uchiha clan, he has little pride in the techniques of his clan, so much that he didn't even care for their approval. Given such a disposition, it is likely that he would h ave picked up almost all forms of ninjutsu and genjutsu that he encountered in his time away from Konoha, and learnt how to use them. Even if in his Chakra use and taijutsu he remained only at Chuunin-level, which is unlikely, he could still be a very dan gerous foe."

Naruto nodded, slowly, a few thoughts running through his head.

Uchiha...

Sasuke's voice rang softly at the back of his mind. "To kill a certain man and revive my clan."

This ninja was an Uchiha... he might be able to help Sasuke, if he could be persuaded to come back.

The next moment he was looking up and grinning at Tsunade. "Haha, don't worry - Uzumaki Naruto will bring him back!"

Tsunade smirked slightly. "Oh yes, which reminds me. You have Rasengan and Sasuke has Chidori. Be sure not to use it against him unless absolutely vital - if he is undefeated after you use them on him, he will become probably even stronger when he copies those techniques."

The boy winced. "Ah... okay."

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Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "Your father, huh?" He snarled softly. "So... how deep is your container?"

Kiyone's eyes widened slightly at that phrase. "Where did you hear that?"

"Did your father teach him about his container?" His words were almost a hiss, as he brought up a half-closed fist, as if gripping something in the air. "Answer me!"

"No, he did not. We are not the ones responsible for corrupting your precious brother." She told him, as she leaned back against the wall, relaxing a little. "My father never used it, but Itachi said that to me o nce, when I expressed my disapproval of him occupying so much of my father's time." Heh, this looked like one troublesome but interesting Genin...

He relaxed a little, his stance loosening up, and his fingers relaxed slightly. The gathering of Chakra into his hand, that he didn't even realise he was doing, ceased. "I see." So, her father wasn't responsible for Itachi's corruption.

"If you want to avenge yourself on him, you'll have to become stronger, boy." She smiled, amused. "As you are now, you're not even fit to join the ANBU." Itachi was only 13 when he became an ANBU squad captain... but she chose not to say it, in case it drove the clearly agitated boy into fits. "Even I have to become stronger, if I intend to be able to finish him off when we do m eet."

"Yes." Sasuke's gaze never left her.

"You look as if you are itching to test yourself against me. Is that how Kakashi motivates you kids, to rush headlong into battle against someone you cannot win against?" Still leaning, relaxed, against the wall , not caring as Sasuke tensed up again, anger showing on his face. "Someone not even fit for ANBU isn't worth my attention."

But deep down inside her, she was curious... so this was an Uchiha.

"Well, do you want to find out if you're right or wrong?" Sasuke grinned, dangerously, his eyes cold and yet burning.

"It'll be some light entertainment while we're waiting here." She closed her eyes, her hand moving to slip her mask into her jacket. "Let's see how long you'll last." Her hand returned back out into the open, to reveal her weapon.

Sasuke growled, as he saw what she held. "A brush!?" And a really tiny and short one too at that... its total length barely 3 inches long, while its tip seemed dipped in red ink. His Sharingan burned brightly in his eyes as he regarded her.

"Correct. If I strike you, you might die, so better to play safe." She spun it lightly in her hand, smirking at him. "I won't be throwing it. If you can make it leave my fingers, you win. Well, are you ready?" She stretched slightly as if to warm herself up, closing her eyes as she did so.

Sasuke's fist smashed into the wall where she had been leaning, but she was gone already, barely a heartbeat later his foot sending him whirling in the direction of the blur that was her receding figure, his other foot aiming a kick at her back.

She's fast... even with my Sharingan I can only just make out her moving outline...

His foot smashed against her upraised hand that was guarding her chest, gripping him easily although he didn't even see ho w she turned around to face him, while her other hand with the brush arced towards his chest even as he twisted, so that he was turning upside down as his other leg curled in close in preparation to deliver an upward kick to her chin. The next moment he f e lt something lock his leg in place, three fingers of the hand holding the brush gripping his knee to prevent him from kicking up. Smirking, his right hand held behind his back, out of sight from her, sent two knives hurtling from both sides of him, toward s her waist, while his left hand shot out a split second later, aiming a punch to her stomach.

"Not bad," he'd hear as he felt the hand holding his foot jerk him down, using his foot to kick away the two knives, even though he was resisting her efforts to move him.

She's strong!

But her grip on his knee had loosened as her hand with the brush darted down to block his punch to his stomach... it was just for an instant, but it was enough. Sasuke's foot shot up.

Got you!

There was a cracking sound as he felt his foot smash into something... and she'd stumble back as she pushed him away, and he landed on his feet as she took a few steps back.

"Impressive," she smiled as she looked at him, seemingly uninjured. "Take a good look at yourself."

Sasuke blinked, then looked... feeling two cool dots, as of paint drying, against his neck, one near the centre of his neck where his adam's apple was, the other one more to the side where the jugular vein was. Another red dot marked his left collarbone, two at his ches t, and one at his side.

"Hey, Sasuke... what's that red dot behind your back?" Naruto's voice was heard as the door opened behind Sasauke.

"Larynx, spine, lungs, liver, jugular vein, collarbone, kidney and heart," the Jounin straightened up. "Eight fatal points."

"Damn it!" Sasuke cursed aloud.

"And you can have your knives back." She tossed him the one lying on the ground, and made a beckoning motion, before her string pulled the other knife down from the ceiling. "That kick was rather hard. I haven't p layed such tricks for years." She smiled, a soft look coming into her eyes, as if thinking of playing it on someone else.

In that situation, she hooked one of my knives with a string and then pulled it up for my leg to kick it !?

"Hey hey, what's going on here?" Naruto ran forward as he looked at Sasuke.

"Ah... Sasuke you didn't really go and pick a fight...?" Sakura asked, her eyes wide as she stared at the Jounin. "So sorry."

"It's all right," she laughed softly as she looked at Sasuke. "He is very good... Looks like there might be some meaning in me bringing the three of you along."

"Haha," Naruto laughed, putting a hand behind his head. "Sasuke must have shown you something, huh?" He paused and blinked as he noticed something. "Sasuke?"

Sasuke still didn't move, his expression grim.

You are weak. Why are you weak?

I must become strong.

"Oi, Sasuke?" He heard Naruto's voice ring in his ears, before turning to look at him sullenly.

"I'm fine. Let's get going."

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Tsunade watched as the door closed behind the two departing Genins.

Well if anyone can bring him back that, it can only be them...

She looked over the file once more, or more specifically, the footnotes that the Third Hokage left, which were dated from about the time the boy left the village. She knew the Third loved many of the people of the village as if they were his own family, but even then, the depth in which he wrote about this Kova was astounding.

'He reminds me of Orochimaru, given his obsession with techniques and in his desire to surpass Kakashi. But he is different. Apart from his seeming lack of talent, he does not like to kill, even during missions. He usually prefers to go on reconnaissance and spying missions, rather than those that involve a high chance of violent contact with the enemy.'

'In all his doings, I believe he seeks to become a stronger ninja, because a strong ninja can achieve his objective without being detected, and when meeting the enemy can defeat without having to kill. That is a thought th at not even some of the strongest Jounin I have known of have considered. If he can attain this level, it would be good, but he does not seem to possess the talent for that - after all, he passed the Chuunin exam practically on sheer determination.'

'Even his clan does not recognise him, but I think he may have had something to do with the makings of the two most talented genius ninjas in the Uchiha clan, Shisui and Itachi, who were both close to him. But they have drifted apart since their many missions outside of Konoha with Kisane. He seems upset by this, but I hear he is affable with the students and other teachers at the Academy. Perhaps he will find new friends there.'

And notes from about one year later...

'Kisane told me he confronted himself and his team, demanding that Itachi not be allowed to join ANBU. Shisui disagreed vehemently with his view, but interestingly, Itachi himself made no comment. He even went so far as to ask Fugaku (Itachi and Sasuke's father) to forbid Itachi from joining ANBU , but was thrown out of the Police Headquarters.'

'Perhaps the loss of Obito has translated into the creation of two talented ninja that will serve Konoha well for many years to come, and maybe even Kova himself will be, if he truly becomes as strong as he wishes to be. I will have to ask him more about Obito, and about why he feels Itachi should not be part of ANBU.'

From a few days later...

'Kisane's report is disturbing. This boy has apparently learnt many of the techniques from other clans, and his us e of the Sharingan has gone unobserved by everyone. Even Kisane himself could not detect his use of the Sharingan, but he must have it or he would not have been able to copy the techniques used by the other clans. I might have guessed he would have resort ed to such things to exceed Kakashi.'

'His talent is also surprising, how he kept it concealed. Kisane had a hard time defeating him, although he was restricted in not using his clan techniques lest they be copied, and in not wishing to use his killing techniques on him. Still, he must be very far above an ordinary Chuunin's abilities to hold his own for so long. I will go and visit his home where he is recovering from the fight with Kisane.'

And barely a day after...

'It is disturbing to find that he is missing. His talent is also now a source for concern, as he has left the village, and even if he truly does not desire to kill, he has so many secrets of Konoha in his keeping that it would be unacceptable to not send either ANBU or the hunters after him. Itachi and Shisui both have no idea where he may have gone to, though they've both admitted that he asked them to leave with him, and Shisui tried to restrain him, to no avail. Itachi's reaction, or rather lack thereof, to such a development is disturbing .'

'What a pity that when we have finally come to recognise his talent and potential, he is gone. I only hope that he will not depart from his desire and become a ruthless killer like other exiled ninja.'

And dated a few years later...

'The Uchiha clan is no more. As I look over this files I wonder if he knew.'

'There has been no trace of him since he left. I was right in assuming him not a trouble maker. Though who knows how many techniques he must have mastered by now.'

'Perhaps he knew what he created in Shisui and Itachi, something that none of us was able to see, and feared it... It could have been partly his early actions, that created a tragedy that he could not avert, and though he tried so hard, no one listened, or saw it coming.'

'I must make sure that Sasuke does not follow after his brother.'

Tsunade sighed as she closed the file.

Why had he returned? Why did he make no effort to keep himself hidden? Did he intend to stay for good? What was he capable of?

The contents of Sarutobi's written notes repeated softly in her mind. "... he created a tragedy he could not avert, and though he tried so hard, no one listened..."

Tsunade shrugged and set the file away. As always, there were other matters for a Hokage to attend to. She idly wondered how Sarutobi had always managed to be as concerned for individuals in the village as he had been.

--- End of Chapter 1 ---

Well that's about it for the chapter 1.

As you can guess, the makings of the Matori clan and their position as ANBU trainers and , the existence of the character Kova, and in fact most of these series of events, are just speculation. For those who are wondering as well, the use of the names Kiyone an d Kova are mainly two of my favourite characters that for some reason, keeping cropping up in the things I write ;; I hope you don't mind.

In meantime, being the non-Japanese literate person that I am, I made up the names Matori and Hayuchi, so please th ere's no need to make sense of it, and if they make sense (unlikely) it's just a fluke. If you haven't already got it, Hayuchi, when rearranged to put the Ha behind, sounds Yuchiha, which is only a "Y" sound away from Uchiha.

Feel free to post comments as reviews or email me at on if you'd like for this story to be continued.

Meantime, stay cool and thanks for reading this!

Edit : Sorry about the typos in my first posting ;; Thanks


	2. The Eyes of the Prey

Disclaimer : Naruto and characters from the series are not my property.

This Naruto Fanfic is based on a time after Tsunade became Hokage, and before Sasuke's defection to the Sound Village. In anime timeline, it would occur some time before the filler arc about the race in Tea Country involving Morino Idate. It deals with the background and reasons behind Itachi's seemingly independant decision to destroy his clan, through the introduction of characters and the use of "flash-backs", in a way that I hope, is suitably in line with the "style" of the current Naruto series :) There'll also of course, be the ninja-fights that so characterise the Naruto series. Kiyone and Kova are mainly two of my favourite characters that for some reason, keeping cropping up in the things I write ;; I hope you don't mind.

Note that my knowledge is based almost exclusively on the Anime series ;; plus some notes on the Manga that I've picked up here and there.

SPOILER Warning : for those to whom "Kakashi Gaiden" means nothing, please do not read further as spoilers WILL come up.

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FALL OF THE UCHIHA

Chapter 2 : The Eyes of the Prey

In a town not far from Konoha, the next day, and the three Genins in team 7 met as scheduled, after yet another fruitless session...

"This is boring," Naruto sighed. "She didn't even bother to help us find him." He added, a little sulkily, as he recalled the picture Kiyone had shown to them.

Their quarry had been a moderately short haired teen, with slightly spiky dark blue hair, but given how the pic was dated by about 7 years and how he had been avoiding being hunted down for so long, it would only be of so much use.

"Well, she did say that this is an important part of a ninja's training, cultivating patience, alertness and discretion." Sakura pointed out. "Besides, she's probably keeping an eye on us as well to make sure that she can help us if we encounter difficulties."

Yeah right, Sakura thought to herself. She's probably cooling her heels off somewhere, like Kakashi does when he reads that adult book of his. This is starting to feel like a D-rank mission, bleah.

Sasuke, as usual, said nothing, his gaze intense and alert as he looked around, studying any passers-by for similarities with the picture. He could tell his team members were tired from the use of what they had been only just taught, but it was interesting, and he found it interesting that for the purposes of this mission, she had taught them something that was almost exclusively taught to ANBU members and hunter-nins.

Since the picture of their quarry was of limited use, Kiyone had recapped a little on Chaka, and taught them a little bit. Chakra circulatory systems have to be developed and set up properly through constant use and practice, and a s such are diffused and almost non-existent in people who have not undergone training as a ninja. Such developed Chakra circulatory systems have a flow and energy that repulses the entry of foreign Chakra, thus protecting the original circulatory system and keeping it primed for use, though it is ineffective against techniques like Jyuuken Taijutsu employed by the Hyuuga clan. So, for one to help differentiate between a civilian and a ninja, one could release a small amount of Chakra into the person's body when in close contact, and by sensing the repulsion, so determine if the person was a trained ninja or a civilian. This was important in the use of ferreting out rogue ninjas who disguised themselves as civilians, something that most ninjas need not know. However, too much Chakra released into the person's body would alert the target that you are testing him or her, especially if the target was a ninja. What was more interesting was that if one could master this technique well, one would be able to sense the relative development of the target's Chakra circulatory system.

It was a little tiring though, even for Sasuke, and he could tell it was noticeably more so for Sakura and Naruto. Probably Naruto was more clumsy at using his Chakra, whereas Sakura had low reserves. A one-off testing was fine, but they had been "testing" almost every dark-haired male they came across since they arrived at the town yesterday, as they systematically combed the town.

It makes me stronger, but too slowly, Sasuke thought. If this is the best Konoha can offer me...

"Look, ramen!" Naruto exclaimed, pointing at a shop along the street.

"Well, it is almost lunchtime, I guess," Sakura smiled slightly to Sasuke, grateful for the excuse to recharge her Chakra reserves as well. "Sasuke, joining us?"

"Yes." His dark eyes looked over surroundings for a while, to try to find Kiyone's form, and as usual, there was no trace of her whatsoever. It seemed that for all intents and purposes, the three Genins had been left on their own upon entering the town.

Easy, relaxed steps took the three young ninjas into the shop, and in relatively short order they were settled down at a table, with three mugs of steaming tea before them.

"Do you think that Jounin is ever going to show up?" Naruto asked. "She hasn't even joined us for meals or at our room, like Kakashi sensei would. And surely there's got to be a better way rather than going around testing everyone who might match the picture, like asking around?"

"She said we can't ask around with the picture or that would cause him to leave if he got wind of it." Sakura sighed. "I find it hard to believe that this is the best course of action a hunter-nin can think of."

"She wants us to get tired, give up and go back." Sasuke noted quietly, before sipping his drink.

"Yeah, she has something against that guy. Was he someone you knew? Can't you recognise him if you see him?" Naruto asked his teammate. "He was from your clan after all..."

"No, Naruto." His tone was even and flat, indicating an end to that discussion.

It would not be long before the waitress came up to them to deliver the bowls of ramen, and the three would tuck into their meals. Sasuke was more quiet than normal as he ate his, as had been the case since he met Itachi, and Sakura and Naruto more or less left him to it.

I wonder what's on his mind, Naruto pondered as he looked at his friend sitting opposite him eating, partly because the ramen here wasn't as good as it was back in Ichiraku shop in Konoha. It was strange, even though Sakura was here he found himself paying more attention to Sasuke. This was Sasuke's first mission since encountering Itachi, and he did not seem fully himself yet. Is he looking forward to meeting another member of his clan? But then, would he want to test himself against him or really try to bring him back? What if that guy was still a friend of Itachi's?

The pink-haired girl beside him wondered as well about Sasuke's thoughts, but her musings were slightly different.

Since leaving the hospital, he seems very tense and far-away, like something is troubling him deep on the inside... I wonder what Naruto knows about this. He wouldn't tell me who did those horrible things to Kakashi and Sasuke before Tsunade came back to be Fifth Hokage. Her eyes went from Sasuke, who was as usual, staring into the air after finishing his meal, then to Naruto who was a little too detached from his ramen for his normal self. She thought sadly, we call ourselves a team, yet we're keeping secrets from one another. Though she knew that if she asked Naruto long enough he would eventually cave in, but she would rather not. And naturally, throughout all this, never once did she feel the slightest bit of guilt for having kept knowledge of the Cursed Seal from Naruto at the end of the second stage of the Chuunin exam.

"I will wait outside for you two to finish up." Sasuke declared as he stood up suddenly, before turning and walking away from their table.

He sometimes really hated how they scrutinized him that way. Even if he were to tell them how he felt, which he would not, it's not as if they would ever understand how things were with him. How would those of such petty cares ever understand, ever know what it felt like to have that burning rage and anger inside him, and the never-ending need to grow stronger gnawing continuously at his consciousness...

You are weak. Why are you weak?

He gave a slight snarl as he recalled his brother's voice as he left the shop, not giving the slightest bit of bother to the surprised looks from Naruto and Sakura at his sudden departure, even if he noticed it.

The gap between the two of us has not changed...

His fist clenched together tightly, as he looked around the town with a renewed determination.

I must finish this mission and get back to training. I must get stronger.

"Hello there, boy," a partial shadow fell over him, and though the voice was not unpleasant it was not too friendly either. "Are you a ninja?"

"What business of yours is it if I am?" Sasuke looked up at the man, measuring him up coolly. About 175 cm tall, with dark brown hair tied neatly behind his head, wearing a dark blue jeans and white t-shirt, with a midnight jacket on him.

"My father once hired some of them for some work, but other than that I don't often see ninjas around." He commented nonchalantly. "So, a kid like you can be a ninja?"

Sasuke's brows narrowed slightly, then he remembered he was just dealing with a civilian, and averted his eyes. "Get lost, I don't have time for the likes of you."

"I wonder just how good you are to have father pay that much for you." The man grinned, as he looked at him thoughtfully. "I know a few moves myself."

The dark-haired boy arched an eyebrow, then reached out suddenly and grabbed hold of the man's hand, who made no move to avo id his touch, but then again it could be that his reflexes were lacking. The Chakra left his fingertips, entered... and then bounced back, slightly.

"Who are you?" Sasuke kept a firm hold on his hand, but his gaze against him was steely.

"You look like your brother," the man smiled mirthlessly.

Something moved, he was sure of it, something changed. In blink of an eye Sasuke's pupils flashed to red, the Sharingan staring out from under his dark fringe, only to find himself staring at what was most definitely a shadow. Perhaps he had been a shadow all along, or he had used a replacement, but it was hard to tell.

"Well, no point maintaining much of a disguise." The brown haired man changed slightly, his face thinning to become more angular, brown hair turning a dark blue hue and and falling from the back of his head to two long fringes to either side of his face, but apart from that his hair was kept in smooth flows from a centre parting as he cancelled his Transformation technique while still gazing out at Sasuke. "I hear Itachi has been around recently. You want to kill him, yes?"

Sasuke nodded in response, his eyes narrowing. "Why are you letting yourself be found? Do you wish to help me rebuild our clan?"

Looks like that Jounin is not around or she might have made a move. No matter, better that no one interfere as I test myself.

"Your clan, you mean. I have no part in it. I just have a score to settle with an old friend."

His eyes widened slightly. "You think you can defeat my brother and avenge us?" If so, he was very dangerous...

"No, I am not naive. I have not the talent to exceed him even if I trained my hardest for the rest of my life. I merely intend to find out what he was seeking in Konoha, and if I can, to put it out of his reach, forever."

Sasuke grimaced slightly. This man had a disarming casualness about him, coupled with a very brutal honesty. He seemed to genuinely believe he could not exceed Itachi, not ever. What if Sasuke himself also, could never have the talent to measure up to his brother? After all, he had been chasing all his life, and never came close...

No, I will grow stronger, and have the power to kill my brother!

"Sasuke!?" Sakura exclaimed, as she and Naruto came running up behind him, weapons drawn as they saw the man he was holding. "Is this the one we've been searching for?"

The boy ignored his team-mate. "You will help me kill him," Sasuke's voice was low and commanding. "Either by finding him for me when the time is right, or by fighting me and making me stronger."

"I have no wish to find him, as I would not survive the encounter. Nor do I intend to kill him - I will not stoop to his level." He smiled slightly. "I have heard quite a lot about you, Uchiha Sasuke, and I know you are strong. I am not strong enough that you might be able to grow from fighting me."

"Oi Sasuke!" Naruto interrupted pointedly. "We're not here to fight, we're just supposed to bring him back to Konoha!"

"And what value might there be in me going back to Konoha with you?" The voice was amused, in a distinctly unimpressed fashion.

Sasuke frowned slightly at Naruto, irritated by the interruption that had taken the stranger's attention from his preferred subject. "If you fight me, and I win, you will help me rebuild the Uchiha clan and help me find and kill Itachi."

"And in the very unlikely event that I win?"

"I will tell you what my brother is looking for in Konoha."

"Sounds reasonable." The man smiled slightly. "Except that I have almost no chance of defeating you, so I'd rather decline."

Sasuke frowned, but he knew he was holding on to a shadow and he had no idea where the real person was, so he did not have much choice in the matter.

"Look, the two of you will have a lot of time to catch up once we all go back to Konoha, so there's no need to rush to say everything here," Sakura interjected again, making a conciliatory gesture with her hand. "We aren't here to fight or anything..."

"Then what do you want to do?" Their quarry asked evenly. "I thought only ANBU or the hunters would have got wind of my presence in this area. Strange that they should only send a Genin team, unless Konoha is really that short of manpower."

"The Fifth Hokage asked us to try to bring you back." Sakura continued. "She said that Konoha could do with a Chuunin of your capabilities." She paused a little, trying to sway the indifferent missing ninja more towards her side of reasoning. "Though you're probably much stronger than that and might not have problems becoming a Jounin."

"I don't think so, if he can't beat me." Sasuke pointed out, glaring at the man. "My challenge stands."

Grr... why is he spoiling everything? Sakura thought with frustration, giving him a worried look that as usual, slid off seemingly unnoticed by her dark-haired friend.

"You've got a lot of guts letting ANBU know that you're in this area, if you're as weak as you say you are," Sasuke continued relentlessly. "Unless of course, you just want to be killed by them, but that's strange for someone who claims to want to prevent Itachi from get ting what he's looking for."

"I think I have spoken enough for today. Please, let go of me." His voice was calm, polite, perhaps a little fearful.

Sasuke growled. "Don't you even care that he destroyed your entire clan!?"

"I repeat myself - your clan, not mine."

His eyes flashed with anger. "You have Uchiha blood, and you want to make things difficult for my brother, yet you deny that you feel anything about him destroying us!?"

"I owe what negative feelings I have for him to his murder of one person only - Shisui." The man sighed softly. "Though if he killed Shisui back then, if he met me today he would have no qualms about killing me. Now, can you please let go of me?"

Sasuke curled his lips back in disgust, then his grip loosened. "If you weren't of my blood, I'd kill you for what you've just said."

"Oi, what do you want with Sasuke?" Naruto asked, irritated at the lack of progress, and worried that Kiyone would kill the man from nowhere, knowing how she had a vendetta against him. If he should prove stubborn, he was concerned the Jounin would make her most certainly lethal move, but then again Naruto had no way of knowing he was only facing a shadow replication. "You must have come to him for a reason…"

"I just want to know what Itachi came back to Konoha for." He eyed Naruto thoughtfully. "Do you know what that is, boy?" The dark blue eyes left Sasuke, meeting with Naruto's own, and narrowed slightly with a soft gleam. "Tell me, please."

"Well..." Those eyes seem to sparkle, Naruto thought subconsciously. Was that a flash of red? No, it had to be his imagination. Anyway, the stranger asked nicely, so what's wrong with telling him? "I think he was looking for..."

Sasuke's eyes widened at his team-mate's apparent stupid compliance, and for the moment he was distracted from watching the shadow as thoughts raced through his head - if the man knew Naruto was sought by Itachi and tried to kill him, it might place Naruto in danger... but then again he'd be able to test his skills against the man.

His moment of hesitation might have paid off for the man, except for Sakura remembering an encounter a long time ago, in the country of the Mist, and sensing something was very wrong...

"Shh...!" Quickly she clamped her hand over Naruto's mouth, the same time putting herself between Naruto and the man, so as to break the eye contact that Naruto had with him. "What were you trying to do!?" She cried accusingly, kunai raised to face the man, but she did not raise her eyes to meet his.

If he has the Sharingan like Tsunade said, he could have used the eye of hypnotism that Kakashi-sensei used on Zabuza... but then again she didn't see or notice any change in his eyes, except perhaps a slight flicker...

A cold sliver of uncertainty came to her... if he had indeed just used it on Naruto, so effortlessly and without exposing his ability, then he was a person far more skilled in the use of his heritage than even their teacher...

Where is that Jounin!? She thought to herself as she looked around a little frantically, her hand slipping from Naruto's lips.

Naruto frowned as well as he realised what he had nearly blurted out. "Yeah, I'm not stupid! Why should I tell you about it when you haven't agreed to come with us back to Konoha?"

Sasuke cursed under his breath, but he was a little relieved as the outcome was taken out of his hand, but really, was there a flicker in the man's eye from earlier? He was after all, previously of the Uchiha clan... Sasuke realised he would have to watch their quarry, and not being attentive to the opponent's eyes could mean endangering his entire team.

"Sorry, I was simply hoping you'd be more willing to share information as a gesture of goodwill." The man noted quietly, his gaze roving over the three of them facing him. "So if I agree to go back to Konoha, you will tell me?"

"Only if you agree to go back, stay there and be a ninja of our village for the rest of your life," Sakura interrupted, careful for any word tricks. Clearly this man was one who might stoop to such tricks, given what he had tried to pull, and how he noticeably wore no mark of any village whatsoever.

It seems that the decorative baggage is being useful this time round, Sasuke considered wryly. After covering for what might have been a mistake, she actually caught on his wordplay so quickly, even though her earlier half-frantic looking around might have betrayed that it was more than the three of them sent after the man.

"That is quite a difficult request. There are unacceptable inconveniences in my agreeing to that demand."

Good. At least that shows if he agrees to a request, he'll probably keep his side of the bargain, Sakura pondered. The trick of course, was to get him to agree to something.

"What's wrong with coming back to Konoha?" Naruto asked, irritated by his cavalier attitude to their home village. "It's a nice place you know! The ramen is like, really good too!"

Sakura blinked and sighed. What a way to persuade a guy... trust Naruto to try and use such an approach.

The man laughed and rolled his eyes. "Just because you people are weak and attached to a village like that, doesn't mean I should be." His lips pressed together tightly, a thin smile forming. "I liked the peace, and I liked most of the people, but there is more for me to learn and grow out here in the open, without all the damnable restraints of that place..." A smirk showing. "Besides, I learnt what I could from there, and headed elsewhere. Is that not the case in all things? You learn what you can and then you move on."

"Hmph!" Naruto frowned at him. "For all your big talk, you say you can't beat Sasuke, much less Kakashi-sensei, and yet you say you've learnt all you can from Konoha?" He stuck out his tongue at the guy. "More likely no one wanted to teach you anything."

A single fine dark eyebrow went up. "Oh, so you are Kakashi's team of Genins, hmm?" He gave a soft smile. "Where is he, is he nearby? I would like to meet him again, haven't seen him for years." Looking thoughtfully at Naruto. "Besides, if he has been teaching you anything worth learning, I don't think you've learnt it very well."

He's not weak if he is so confident about meeting Kakashi! Sasuke reminded himself sharply. I must not let myself get distracted or complacent because of his words and attitude.

"Hey, what do you mean by that!" Naruto replied, vexed. "I'll have you know that my name is Uzumaki Naruto, the man who will someday become the future Hokage of Konoha!"

"You, Hokage? Don't make me laugh, kid. Besides, ninjas learn what they want and what they will, on their own, sometimes even without permission. Teachers are optional, but that weak village of yours teaches you to be dependant on them. With that kind of attitude, you'd be lucky to even become a Chuunin."

Sakura's eyes narrowed slightly, remembering what Tsunade had said about him learning techniques from other Konoha clans… he said it very well, didn't he? Her eyes momentarily went to Sasuke, wondering if it echoed his thoughts... but if the boy thought anything, it didn't show on his alert expression.

Naruto subsided a little, frowning and remembering what Jiraiya had told him about being a professional ninja. "As if you're any better. You can't even beat Sasuke." No harm changing to a baiting tactic. "You talk really big, and you want to beat Kakashi but can't even take care of his Genins?"

Sasuke smiled slightly, a little irritated at Naruto's implicit slight, but he understood what the boy was doing. He didn't know what this man had to do with Kakashi, but he passed it off as something Tsunade told them while he was outside facing Kiyone, and it was obvious that whoever they were facing didn't like their sensei very much.

The man shrugged then replied, "I don't have to prove anything to anybody. Now, you have a choice - either you tell me what I want to know now, or I can always head elsewhere to try to gather information." He smiled then turned on his heel, making to move off, before pausing and looking back at the trio. "So, what will it be? Are you going to tell me?"

"Defeat me and I'll tell you." Sasuke knew that time was running short. "And if I defeat you you'll help me rebuild my clan."

Kova, or rather the shadow, paid no attention.

"Well I'll…" Naruto grit his teeth and prepared to launch himself towards the man, only to find Sasuke's arm between him and his quarry.

"Let him go." Sasuke relaxed, straightened and half-turned to face Naruto. "He'll come back to us eventually."

"Oh?" The figure stopped and regarded Sasuke's form.

"We don't just know what you want," Sasuke paused, for dramatic effect, giving a cold smile, before turning his back fully on Kova. "We have what you want."

"And what is that?" The voice was low, even and expressionless.

"Fight me and you'll find out." Sasuke returned coolly, turning to look over his shoulder at the figure.

"All right." Kova stopped, and turned around.

"Sasuke!" Sakura cried out. "You mustn't use your ninjutsu against him."

"I know." He did not even bother to look back at Sakura, his attention now fully devoted to the ninja in front of him. "Yes, I guess you must know many techniques. No ninjutsu, as you know I can't use mine, lest you copy it."

That's strange, Sasuke wouldn't think he needs that sort of handicap to win a duel, thought Naruto.

The figure smirked at Sasuke. "Given your Sharingan, that would leave me with only taijutsu to use. It is quite a handicap this way, you know."

"Those are my terms." Sasuke smiled a little, before straightening up from his fighting stance. "Take it or leave it." Unlike his two teammates, he knew it was a shadow before them, and a shadow could still use ninjutsu and genjutsu techniques with relative ease, despite its limited chakra. However, a shadow was most lacking in taijutsu strength, especially in a prolonged encounter, and a mistake resulting in a single blow would destroy the shadow. This Chuunin might know a lot of techniques, that might be make combat against his shadow potentially deadly even, but under these terms they were limited to some extent. However, he was no fool – he knew the Chuunin could simply choose to attack them with whatever abilities he had at his disposal, and then try to force him or his comrades to spill out the information he wanted. In this case, he was half-expecting a move against Sakura.

In any case, I'm not interested in testing myself against his shadow, but against him.

The figure nodded. "You have quite a character for a Genin. I wonder if this was how Kakashi was like when he was young." He did not seem amused nor pleased by it though. "How troublesome." A soft sigh. "So be it then."

Naruto tensed a little, expecting Sasuke to make his usual lightning fast opening move.

However the dark haired boy stood still, doing nothing. He remembered his last two encounters – with Itachi then Kiyone. In both he had started with an opening that should be beyond most people's ability to even see clearly, and yet… he had no intention to do so. In any case, striking the shadow might simply cause it to vanish and the controller to lose interest.

A moment of silence, before Kova leaped into the air, two kunai hurtling out from his hands, towards Sasuke's chest and left thigh, but the boy easily knocked them both away, before blocking the flying kick with his left arm easily, and his right would launch forward to where Kova would land, aiming to where his chest would be. The Chuunin's arm came up to block as he landed, as Sasuke took a step forward and twisted his right fist so it was pointing upwards, turning the punch into an uppercut at the man's chin just as his feet landed. Kova's head tilted to one side to avoid the blow as his blocking arm swung out to strike at Sasuke's thrust out right shoulder, but there was only a mirthless smirk from Sasuke, who had anticipated this. His left hand reach over and seized his foe's wrist, before pulling his quarry forward, and a kunai came out of nowhere into his hand as he stopped, the knifepoint at the side of the shadow's neck, and his other hand firmly holding the man's wrist.

Oh, is that all? Naruto looked disappointed. This is the guy Tsunade sent us, Team 7, to apprehend, and even a Hunter-nin? Geez, what a wasted trip.

"So are you going to show yourself?" Sasuke asked, cold blade held to the exposed flesh of the man's neck. "There is no point fighting me with your shadow."

Oh, it's a shadow! Sakura thought with surprise. No wonder Sasuke did not want him to use ninjutsu.

The man smiled and disappeared into a puff of smoke in Sasuke's grip.

"Over here."

The three Genins turned in the direction of the voice, to see Kova leaning against a lamppost, his face just looking up, a flicker of scarlet in his eyes.

Sasuke's eyes widened, glimpsing the two oboe in each of the two eyes, for just a moment, even himself momentarily transfixed as he gazed into the Sharingan, the same time a sharp sliver of fear piercing into his soul from nowhere, chilling his spine and freezing his limbs with an image of death.

"All right, what was it you kids wanted to tell me?" The man's voice rang out softly, a slight smile on his face.

Damn it!

He could feel the brunt of the Chuunin's attention directed onto himself, trying to keep him transfixed while Sakura or Naruto gave the answer, and indeed both of them seemed in a daze, as they stared at him. The Chakra used to hold Sasuke in the grip of the fear must be great, since he was a fellow Sharingan user, but he knew that the man only needed a few seconds to get the answer he wanted. It was similar but weaker than Orochimaru's technique used in the Chuunin exam, nonetheless it had caught Sasuke when his guard was down and he had got complacent.

"I think…" Naruto started.

Thinking quickly, Sasuke could only glance out of the corner of his eye, and flicked his wrists, his two kunai sent whizzing through the air, just in front of both his teammates eyes, and Sakura and Naruto staggered back from shock as the cold steel passed before their faces, the spell was momentarily broken.

"Don't look at his eyes!" Sasuke ordered tersely, as he felt himself regain movement.

"You dirty asshole!" Naruto growled, raising his fist, but same time staring at the person's chest rather than his face. "You're supposed to be dueling Sasuke!" He'd growl as he quickly started his jutsu. "Kage-bunshin no jutsu! (Shadow Clone Technique)" In almost an instant, another 6 Narutos appeared at his side. "Ha! Now let's see how many people you can use your eyes on!" The boy grinned as his duplicates encircled their quarry. "Now are you going to fight Sasuke fairly or will Uzumaki Naruto have to teach you a lesson?"

Kova arched an eyebrow, his eyes seeing the Chakra coursing through the Naruto duplications. This was no mere replication technique which most Genin learnt, he observed. Those were shadows capable of doing real damage, just like the one he used earlier.

"Well, if you kids are going to beat me up, you'll have to keep your eyes on me first." He'd open a bottle, wave it slightly as some droplets spilled out and suspended in the air around him, before splitting more thinly and sticking to various parts of his body, shining as the droplets spread rapidly all over his clothes… before hardening to form some small icy reflective hemispheres, each about an inch across, with a slit running from side to side.

What technique is that …? Sakura wondered.

"Chiboushi! (Thousand Eyes)" The slits opened all at once, each revealing a single red Sharingan eye, and they literally covered the person's body, practically a few hundred eyes staring out at Team 7 from all over their quarry's form.

Team 7 blinked with a mixture of shock and amazement, and the next instant the effects of the Sharingan washed over them, with Naruto's and Sakura's expressions both going blank, and with everyone of the Naruto clones around Kova, transfixed in place as well.

Genjutsu!? Sasuke thought even as his heart skipped a beat, eclipsed with fear, and though he was half-ready for it he still flinched from the attack. But no it can't be, I would be able to see if it were so…! Bah, more importantly, how to help my teammates? As long as a single line of sight remains unbroken from any of the multiple eyes to their own eyes, I cannot break them out of his hold, and nothing I can throw would be able to do that…

He blinked as he glimpsed something flying over between himself and Kova, from out of nowhere, barely seeing a tag with the character "light" written on it, and he just managed to avert his gaze before the light flash bomb went off.

"ARGH!" He heard Kova cry out as the light penetrated everyone of the eye duplicates, shattering his technique's hold on the two other Genins as he staggered back, clutching at his eyes in pain as the ice melted and slid off his body.

"Get him!" The energetic cry of Naruto going off as all 7 Narutos launched themselves at the hapless Chuunin, grabbing his shoulders, arms, waist, legs and head. "Haha got you!"

No something was wrong, he looked different… "Naruto!" Sasuke raised a hand in warning.

"Hmm?" The Naruto grabbing the head looked curiously at Sasuke, then body seemed to melt beneath him from its head downwards, and a single tag appearing from within the melting water clone, surfacing out from its place embedded within the form, with the character "Explosion" written on it. "Oh aahh…!" His eyes widened.

A flash of metal shot by before him, a single shuriken flying from Sasuke towards him in an upward curve. The point struck the tag, sending it up about five metres into the sky, as Naruto fell to the earth, ducking low as his clones vanished, before the tag went off, not in an explosion but in a wave of greenish gas that dissipated safely above them.

Sleeping gas? Sakura thought to herself. It seems like he does not really want to hurt any of us…

Damn it! Sasuke thought to himself. The man must have somehow replaced himself with a water clone after or before the light bomb went off. Where is he!? It will be nearly impossible, for us to track him if he were to get away…

"Where do you think you're going?" Kiyone's voice was heard, as one of the civilians nearby, from the direction of where the light bomb came from, stepped near Team 7, and the three Genins would turn around to see her transform into the hunter-nin. Kiyone's expression was bemused as she looked down the other street, where they could see Kova grimacing, his back facing them from where he was about 20 metres from them, staring back over his shoulder at the ground, a Chakra string encircled around his left ankle. "You can move if you think you can do without a foot."

"Hmph." The missing ninja would shrug in response, as he stopped running then proceeded to try and pull his foot out of the Chakra string. Kiyone's brows furrowed as she tightened the string, but it did not bite through the flesh, nor did it drain his Chakra from his muscles to immobilize him…

No, that should not be possible! Thought Sakura as she watched him, but sure enough he was pulling his foot out, but there seemed to be something left along the inside of the Chakra string's loop, a thick band of brownish yellow material, that crumbled as he withdrew.

"Nice." Kiyone gave a grim smile from where she was near Team 7. "A protective sand..." Kova blinked as he thought the voice changed, seeming to come from elsewhere… "..shield." He spun around, only to see the same smile on Kiyone's face, her knifepoint held out against the front of his neck, seemingly having appeared from out of nowhere behind Kova.

Sakura blinked as the Kiyone not far from her disappeared in a puff of smoke. Amazing…

Kova's fists clenched then unclenched as he gazed into Kiyone's emerald eyes, unafraid and his expression half-bemused, but there was a hard glint to his azure orbs. "Impressive."

There was a flicker of scarlet in those blue depths…

--- End of Chapter 2 ---

Hope you enjoyed Chapter 2. I'll admit, it's a tad action-based, but don't worry, the story will develop further.

I took some liberties with many of the jutsus, and in creating new ones as well Originally I wanted to use all English names for techniques, but some like Kage-Bunshin simply had to remain, so to make things consistent I simply translated the English names into Japanese ones, and kept the English words in brackets after the tehcniques. This meant I had to use a Japanese English dictionary, but since I'm not Japanese, some of the combined transformations might not make sense, so yeah just hope you guys are ok with that.

Apart from that I hope this Chapter was at least an interesting fun read, and hopefully not too confusing.


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